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Chris Moyles

Here's a question. Why does nobody like Chris Moyles?

This may sound like a stupid question. He's hugely popular. I could waffle on for ages about the facts, but when it comes down to it: towards the end of last year he had 6.5 million listeners each morning. I would define that as hugely popular.

To qualify, then: what I mean is that, amongst the forums I hang around on, and the people I hang around with: nobody likes him. They don't just not like him very much, or are just apathetic towards him - they really, really, really loathe him. In fact, this was taken to its extreme whilst posting this article. On our backend system, I started an article entitled 'Chris Moyles'. When I came back half an hour later to write it, someone had added "...is a talentless cunt."

So why? I have no idea. Really - no idea at all. Sure, there's a certain laddishness about him that a lot of people don't respond to - but that's no reason to despise him, unless he banged on about killing poofs and beating up women every five minutes - which, incidentally, he doesn't. So I can't see why anyone would react against him for this reason.

But it's more than this. I don't just "not mind" Moyles - I think he's one of the best radio DJs around. And why is this? Because all I can hear when he's broadcasting is someone with a great love of radio. Not particularly a love of music - which is something some DJs bring to their programmes, and is obviously wonderful - but not something that I think is especially needed for a breakfast show. No - he has a love of radio as a medium in a way that I've not heard any other presenter have for ages - indeed, Kenny Everett is the only other person who springs to mind. Now, Chris Moyles clearly isn't as good as Kenny - but then, nobody is. But the way Chris presents his programme just brings me such joy - he revels in the medium, in the same way Kenny did.

It's telling that Chris Moyles has beautiful jingles - the best on Radio 1 by miles. (All the others at the moment are just bland.) They obviously hark back to his childhood listening of Radio 1 - the "National Radio 1" (latterly "International Radio 1") being an obvious reference. He'll play the pips, like Radio 1 used to, which nobody else does now - and not just occasionally, but all the time - in the middle of a song if necessary. He delights in technical problems - none of the awkwardness that some presenters have; he actively thrives upon things going wrong, and pisses himself laughing when they do. It's such a delight to hear a show that's both slick and yet slightly ramshackle at the same time. It's not predictable, either - you've always got the feeling that anything might happen, that he's a phrase away from causing complete chaos - even if it rarely gets too out of hand.

More to the point - he sounds like he's having fun. And so does his team. In fact, it sounds like they're not working at all - just pissing around and having a laugh. And it's infectious - I only hear about fifteen minutes of his show as I'm being driven to work, but it's enough to put a smile on my face and put me in a good mood. Which is exactly what I need at that point in the morning...

So, basically: I'm baffled. Enlighten me. What is it about Chris Moyles you don't like?

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Comments

> In fact, this was taken to its extreme whilst posting this article. On our backend system, I started an article entitled 'Chris Moyles'. When I came back half an hour later to write it, someone had added "...is a talentless cunt."

That was me. Hehehe.

> What is it about Chris Moyles you don't like?

He's not funny, he plays crap music, his posse are annoying and he comes across as a bit of twat. HTH!

By Ian Symes
April 23, 2006 @ 8:01 pm

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I'D HAVE NEVER GUESSED IT WAS YOU

The music side isn't his fault at all, though. On the Radio 1 Breakfast show, you have to follow the playlist. He has no control over that.

Apart from that though, I guess it's just you don't take to his personality. Which is fair enough - I just find it odd that he seems to be quite *so* loathed!

By John Hoare
April 23, 2006 @ 8:06 pm

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Yeah, I dislike him for similar reasons to Ian. Also, I totally take your point about his love for radio, it is infectious and I do enjoy that... It's just I can't get past his personality being shit.

I think the reason why people who dislike him really, really loathe him is because he's so widely help up by the BBC as being WONDERFUL and he's loved unconditionally by so many people. That always fuels the fire for dislike a little bit more than normal.

By Cappsy
April 23, 2006 @ 9:19 pm

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I'm possibly more willing to like Chris Moyles because I'm a bit of a radio nerd - and it's obvious that he is as well.

Having said that, his personality seems fine to me. He just seems like good fun, to be honest. He just sits there and takes the piss for a few hours, which I tend to enjoy.

By John Hoare
April 23, 2006 @ 9:58 pm

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I was about to put that there are better Radio 1 DJs than him, but seriously ARE there? I didn't mind Lamacq but now he only has his Monday Live show. Zane Lowe is a twat. Jo Whiley is a smug bitch. I like Edith Bowman but there's something about the Colin and Edith show I don't like. I can take or leave Scott Mills and the others.

By performingmonkey
April 24, 2006 @ 2:15 am

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I really despise Scott Mills. If I have to listen to his "Flirt Divert" or any other bits of his 'laddy' filth one more time, I'm going to chew my own ears off.

By Cappsy
April 24, 2006 @ 2:18 am

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I used to be a big fan of Moyles back in the days when he was doing tin-pot local radio. He did a teatime show for a while and then moved to night time which suited his style much better, and I used to make a point of tuning in. He was obviously of the Chris Evans school of presenting, but back then (when Evans was new to the Radio 1 breakfast show) I liked him, too. I think I started to go off Moyles as he gradually became more famous. His style started out as similar to Evans, quite irreverent and cheeky and inventive. When he moved to a London station (Capital, I think it was) he seemed to change. The irreverence and inventiveness gradually seemed to fade as his ego seemed to grow, and he just seemed to be copying more blatantly what Evans had been doing (but who, by this time, was also starting to sound tired and ego-driven). By the time he moved to Radio 1, I couldn't stand to listen to him anymore as he seemed to completely believe his own hype at the expense of any of the talent I'd previously thought he had. I wouldn't have minded if he'd carried on with the inventiveness and humour but the show seemed to become more about him and his ego and the humour and cheekiness he'd shown before turned into rudeness and arrogance.

By Pook
April 24, 2006 @ 9:32 am

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"> What is it about Chris Moyles you don't like?
He's not funny, he plays crap music, his posse are annoying and he comes across as a bit of twat. HTH!"

Plus, whenever I mention Chris Morris to dimwits, they fucking "correct" me to Moyles.

"Have you heard of Chris Morris?"
"Chris *Moyles*, yeah I have, what about him?"
"No, Chris Morris, he did things like the Day Today, that was about maybe his most well-known."
BLANK LOOK
"Okay, well it doesn't matter - there was this radio show with ambient music and comedy sketches that was... what you said was reminding me of it... never mind."

By James
April 29, 2006 @ 11:01 pm

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It's just the whole LAD thing, somehow he's still living off the back of an image which was fashionable for ten minutes more than ten years ago. Sorry, but he makes radio for idiots, completely devoid of originality and, of course, intelligence, though he'd probably try to tell you that was the point. A fat talentless version of Chris Evans (have to admit that I did find Evans quite funny in his Radio 1 prime, but then I was 13 at the time.)

By Andy M
April 30, 2006 @ 1:38 am

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Radio for idiots? So I'm an idiot, am I? Thanks.

I think you've given the classic knee-jerk reaction. You can't see past the whole lad thing - and into someone who loves radio more than any other DJ I know broadcasting at the moment. He's also delightfully silly, pretty much constantly - in a way that isn't laddish at all.

By John Hoare
April 30, 2006 @ 1:47 am

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I don't mind him and its brainless fun at that time of the morning, which is what I need when you work with prats that I do. Wiley, I can take or leave. I enjoy Colin & Edith, especially Edith I could listen to her voice all day and Scott Mills I don't mind cos its near the end of the day and I don't mind the last hour of fun to get me til the end of the day.

I doubt I could loathe any of them, its just background noise and I don't take it seriously.

By Matt
May 10, 2006 @ 5:41 pm

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I don't hate him as much as I hate Fucking Sara Fucking Cox. At least he's actually a radio presenter, who started out in radio doing the hospital rounds and whatnot, and worked his way up. Not a third rate TV presenter who only got famous 'cos some people fancied her in the late '90s, and somehow got a job on radio despite having an awful, often incomprehensible voice. The only positive thing you can say about Sara Cox is that she makes you appreciate Zoe Ball (who at least would play things like Gorky's and the Super Furries and actually like them, because she's married to someone who Knows About Music).

Actually, back in the day, I used to listen to the early morning breakfast show when I woke up for school, and I remember when Moyles took over from Clive Warren. I quite liked him at the time. But he got too famous too quickly, and it did go to his head somewhat. I've not listened to him for years, so maybe he's got better, but he was definitely quite unbearable for a while.

By Seb
May 10, 2006 @ 6:17 pm

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I've only really listened to him properly in the last year. I *do* get the idea that he's changed somewhat, from what I've heard elsewhere. Rather less smug and unpleasant.

Possibly a lot of people are judging him on how he used to be. He's great fun now, honest!

By John Hoare
May 10, 2006 @ 6:27 pm

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I think I may be quite bias to him because the most 'laddy' of my friends raves about him. I hate his sense of humour most of the time, so that's coloured my view of Moyles quite a bit. I completely take your point about how much he obviously loves radio, though - but he does come scross as being quite over the top at times.

After re-listening to the Lee and Herring radio shows I'm now greatly depressed that shows like theirs don't actually exist on Radio 1 anymore. I mean, in the last episode of their second series they state that Simon Munnery was taking over their slot. I mean, I can't even imagine a Radio 1 with that sort of line-up any more!

By Cappsy
May 10, 2006 @ 7:41 pm

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> I mean, I can't even imagine a Radio 1 with that sort of line-up any more!

Yeah, but you didn't see it winning the Sony award for radio station of the year then, did you?

Oh.

By Jake Monkeyson
May 10, 2006 @ 8:51 pm

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> After re-listening to the Lee and Herring radio shows I'm now greatly depressed that shows like theirs don't actually exist on Radio 1 anymore. I mean, in the last episode of their second series they state that Simon Munnery was taking over their slot. I mean, I can't even imagine a Radio 1 with that sort of line-up any more!

And Chris Morris and Armando Iannuci had their own shows as well. I wish I was old enough to appreciate it at the time.

By Ian Symes
May 10, 2006 @ 11:30 pm

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Iannucci, rather.

By Ian Symes
May 10, 2006 @ 11:31 pm

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"Why does nobody like Chris Moyles?" - Obviously lots of people do, but I'm hoping their average age is 10yrs old.

I'll tell you precisly why I dislike him.

My main reason is that he has possibly the best job in the country, is paid hansomely for it and yet chooses to fill his show with a daily stream of constant drivel. Virtually everything that comes out of his mouth is educationally insulting, irrellevant, immature, uninformed, dull or just downright offensive.
Due to the democratic process at my workplace I have to endure it every sodding day and can hand-on-heart say that he succeeds in raising a smile from me about once a fortnight.

The guy acts and behaves like an eleven year old - even employing his own playground bully tactics. He berates his listeners (especially the ones who phone up), his posse, he regularly pisses off the newsreaders, slags off other DJ's and he picks verbal spats with other 'celebrities' who can't answer back.
I realise that he appears to deliver all these things in a knowing, 'ironic' manner but saying 'only kidding' after everything is no excuse for his base behaviour and doesn't set a great example to any kids who are listening. Next time the Daily Mail/Express start banging on about who is responsible for dumbing down Britain I'd personally point them in Moyles' direction.
There is a often heard claim that he is the sweetest person off-air, so why not show it on-air? Maybe the 'real Moyles is funny, inventive and charming. To be honest I don't believe it. The BBC ran an internal survey to judge the stress levels of ALL of its employees last year and Aled (Chris' personal assistant) scored the highest - what does that tell you about the man?

Anyway, glad I found this area to rant. Hope I've enlightened you as to why so many people do dislike him. The thing is, you just know if he ever left or (please god) was humiliatingly sacked, the BBC would only have the imagination to give the job full-time to Scott mills.

Ho hum.

By Stephen Short
May 11, 2006 @ 4:58 pm

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I suppose what you find "educationally insulting, irrellevant, immature, uninformed, dull or just downright offensive", I just find this: funny. What you see as bullying, I *do* see as a bit of fun - and I was bullied mercilessly for five years at secondary school, so I'm very sensitive to it. To be honest, I find Moyles "funny, inventive and charming" *on* air. And I *like* the fact he can be extremely childish - it's very, very funny.

It's obviously just a personality that provokes strong reactions for or against.

Hmmm. I might dissect an hour of his show and try and get across exactly why I like him, and exactly why he doesn't usually offend me.

By John Hoare
May 11, 2006 @ 6:21 pm

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(On the other hand, that's probably a waste of time, as I wouldn't convince anybody anyway. So, erm, blah.)

By John Hoare
May 11, 2006 @ 6:55 pm

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Chris Moyles puts me in a good mood for the day.

But I wish DJs had more flexibility with regards to the playlist on Radio 1. My CD player is always on in between talking. The odd U2 song or lostprophets for Comedy Dave just isn't good enough.

By Joey
May 16, 2006 @ 4:18 pm

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I don't mind a lot of the music on the R1 playlist, to be honest. A lot of it isn't stuff I'd choose to listen to, but it's inoffensive enough - and some of it's really good. Having said that, I usually have to turn off the radio screaming at least once a week...

But yes - Moyles should be allowed to play what he likes, really. As should any DJ on Radio 1. I find the whole concept of playlists ridiculous - you employ a DJ to do a job. Let them get on with it, not constrain them.

By John Hoare
May 17, 2006 @ 7:57 pm

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Maybe I'm just an old fart, but I listen to Radio 2.

By si
May 19, 2006 @ 5:19 pm

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6Music is my station of choice. Mainly because it's one of the few stations to still alow Richard Herring on the airwaves on a weekly basis.

By Cappsy
May 19, 2006 @ 6:55 pm

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chris Moyles is an offensive self appreciating twat and if you bother to listen him you are sadder than Scott (I'm a bent waster) Mills

By tony
October 21, 2006 @ 12:41 am

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Well I don't know about you, but I'm convinced.

By John Hoare
October 21, 2006 @ 8:48 pm

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I like Chris Moyles.

Used to like the song parody bits he used to do in the drive time slot.
Cant say I've heard his show since he went breakfast time cus Im not up that early.
If he's got worse is its cus radio one is surely an under 30 demographic so anyone
on this thread like me that is above that cant expect to fit with it anymore.

Sara cox, scott mills and that chappers bloke can die in a pool of their own slime.

By Jonsmad
October 22, 2006 @ 11:02 pm

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Chris Moyles played the ITV Schools music "The Journey" today (the countdown bit) and asked listeners to text in to identify it. This is why he is great.

Oddly enough, a lot of listeners seemed to hate the music because it brought back memories of school, but I loved it because I always loved schools programming. I used to throw sickies just so I could spend all morning watching them...

By Tanya Jones
November 07, 2006 @ 9:26 am

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Chris Moyles played the ITV Schools music "The Journey" today (the countdown bit) and asked listeners to text in to identify it. This is why he is great.

Exactly. Oh, no, wait a minute, HE HATES TEH WOMEN!!!!111

Oddly enough, a lot of listeners seemed to hate the music because it brought back memories of school, but I loved it because I always loved schools programming. I used to throw sickies just so I could spend all morning watching them...

I loved them too - my first memories of the Central endcap come from schools programming. And watching them in school meant you weren't doing any work, so it was FUN.

By John Hoare
November 07, 2006 @ 9:29 am

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He's a self-confessed homophobe. That makes him a CUNT.

By Seb
November 07, 2006 @ 12:36 pm

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>He's a self-confessed homophobe. That makes him a CUNT.

Hang on. Where was this?

By Tanya Jones
November 07, 2006 @ 1:54 pm

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Quote from him in yesterday's Guardian.

"Yeah, I'm homophobic, I don't like the gays," he snorts proudly. "Sorry, it just does my head in. We have a token gay on the show!"

Full article here

By Seb
November 07, 2006 @ 2:20 pm

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Hmm. Seeing the whole article makes me think that he may have been speaking ironically, and that the writer has chosen to interpret his words a certain way. Moyles has never given me the impression that he's prejudiced against anyone, but he certainly has a love for taking the piss.

By Tanya Jones
November 07, 2006 @ 4:03 pm

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Even so, "I don't like the gays" has a distinctly snotty tone that, to me, even if he was trying to be "ironic", carries an undercurrent of inherent dislike.

By Seb
November 07, 2006 @ 4:10 pm

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Oh, and - irony or not - if he said something along the lines of "I'm a racist, I hate all the blacks" in a public interview, he'd have his contract ripped up at a moment's notice and (quite rightly) wouldn't work again in radio for a very long time. Why should it be any different for another persecuted minority?

By Seb
November 07, 2006 @ 4:12 pm

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Even so, "I don't like the gays" has a distinctly snotty tone that, to me, even if he was trying to be "ironic", carries an undercurrent of inherent dislike.

I know I've said *exactly* that phrase myself (Jesus, I've said *far* worse in private, as you all know) - with the "the" being deliberately used to make it obvious I was taking the piss. If anything, it's the "the" that makes me think he definitely *is* taking the piss - I'd be more worried if he hadn't used it!

Don't get me wrong - I think it's *extremely* silly of him to say that in a public interview, as it simply won't come across how it's meant out-of-context. But having listened to his show a lot, I just don't buy the fact that that statement should be taken at face value.

By John Hoare
November 07, 2006 @ 4:39 pm

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Oh, and - irony or not - if he said something along the lines of "I'm a racist, I hate all the blacks" in a public interview, he'd have his contract ripped up at a moment's notice and (quite rightly) wouldn't work again in radio for a very long time. Why should it be any different for another persecuted minority?

It very much depends on the context, for a start.

The problem with that article is that Moyles' quote is given *no* context whatsoever. I say that it's silly to say it in a public interview - but was it said in an interview? Was it said on his show? It's absolutely impossible to know how it was meant - there's no frame of reference there at all. Which means that the article is just *incredibly* badly-written, for a start - so why should I trust the editorialising in a badly-written article?

The thing is, the only frame of reference I can give the quote is imagining how he would say it on his show - and that exonerates him. Because how he would say it is exactly how I sometimes say things - which is, to say things purely for their *inappropriateness*, because I find it funny. Not because I believe what I'm saying for a moment - and I hope everyone else knows I don't mean those things too.

Indeed, when the whole Stonewall thing blew up a few months ago, I heard Moyles' show. He'd been told not to talk about it, but you could hear the outrage in his voice as he tried to say what he could - he was really, really upset that he'd been misconstrued. He wasn't putting it on - you could tell. If he was homophobic, he just wouldn't have cared.

I don't really like Moyles' use of the word 'gay' in a more general sense. But to argue that he's a "self-confessed homophobe" I think is completely off-the-mark - especially if it's regarding that article. Again, it's intent that I find offensive - and I can see no homophobic intent to anything he says.

By John Hoare
November 08, 2006 @ 3:05 am

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I've just found out that on that Tuesday's show, as well as playing 'The Journey' - HE STARTED OFF THE SHOW WITH THE TV-AM MUSIC.

And greeted all his listeners with a "Good morning Britain!"

He is such a fucking GEEK.

By John Hoare
November 10, 2006 @ 3:53 pm

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He was talking about that article on the air - deeply unimpressed at the ridiculous interpretation of his sarcasm.

Hey, I'm the first to get pissed off that he wasn't slammed for using 'gay' as a bog-standard negative. (Davies putting it into a characters' mouth isn't the same thing; common useage doesn't equal acceptible, but dramatists are meant to reflect.) And the ego's half-show, half-real. But come on - if he was actively homophobic/homo-antagonistic, rather than just a guy who occasionally hits the wrong button when pressing for comedy, you'd know about it.

The whole thing makes more sense - and becomes a critique of the QUESTION - if you read the quote like this: "Yeah, I'm 'homophobic', I don't like 'the gays'. Sorry - it just does my head in. 'We have a token gay on the show.'"

I don't care if you like him as a DJ or not, but stuff like this, about anyone, makes me crazy.

By Andrew
November 11, 2006 @ 12:05 am

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I should have suspected sarcasm about the question was behind it in this case, rather than just him being inappropriate just to be amusing. It makes even more sense now.

By John Hoare
November 11, 2006 @ 1:17 am

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The thing I don't understand about all this (and I'm not talking about you Seb - I'm talking about the whole media reaction to it) is how it all got blown up all out of proportion.

As I keep saying - I don't agree with Chris Moyles using the word 'gay' as meaning 'rubbish'. But it's equally as clear that he's not homophobic. But instead of having a decent debate about the issue, it all gets blown up out of all proportion, and Moyles gets accused of things that he's never actually done. People like the guy from Stonewall just *don't* help their point by completely misrepresenting Moyles.

Why ruin a perfectly sensible discussion with a load of nonsense that obscures the real issue? All it means is that the real issue isn't dealt with, and the real debate isn't had.

By John Hoare
November 11, 2006 @ 2:00 am

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I think his 2007 show opening pretty much encapsulates why I love Chris Moyles.

Not only is it great in its own right, but it's so evocative of previous R1 jingles - the mention of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a very specific reference to a famous R1 jingle for instance. And from a jingle forum I go to, I know he hung around Abbey Road (where they recorded the new song and jingles) for the day with a huge smile on his face, being a complete nerd.

And the pips!

By John Hoare
January 11, 2007 @ 3:26 pm

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Gah, download blocked. Go to the front page of chrismoyles.net, and click on "2007 show opener".

By John Hoare
January 11, 2007 @ 3:27 pm

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Like a previous poster, my three colleagues listen to Radio 1 - including Moyles (and unfathomably, the wanker Scott Mills who in my opinion is as funny as woodworm in a cripple's crutch). Or should I say, the 24 year old likes them. The 30 year old *quite* likes them, the 39 year old tolerates it, and the 33 year old - me - absolutely fucking despises every second of it.

I have only been her 2 months so am not in a position yet to be telling the over 24s that they need to have a serious look at themselves in the mirror, but I will.

ALL Radio 1 shows are aimed at 16 year olds (which is fine) but they cater for the morons in that demographic.

Anyone over the age of 20 listening to this brain numbing garbage should do themselves a favour and switch over to 6music. Alright, one step at a time, go and read a Harry Potte book instead.

By Axe Lariat
January 30, 2007 @ 11:33 am

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I'm a mere 20 year old, and I think he's an insufferable cunt. I have done since I first became aware of him, and I was easily in his target audience then.

By Ian Symes
January 30, 2007 @ 1:42 pm

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As has been said before, I think people pick up on Moyles' loud personality and don't get any further. If you listen carefully, therein lies a radio nerd. Perhaps only fellow radio nerds can pick up on that. I enjoy 6 Music, but I don't honestly believe that any of the presenters love radio specifically; just music. Which is fine, but I don't think that makes any of them superior to Moyles.

By Tanya Jones
January 30, 2007 @ 2:32 pm

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For me, being a radio nerd isn't enough to make him likeable. Hitler could have been obsessed with old ITV presentation, it wouldn't make me like him. Now, I'm not saying Chris Moyles is as bad as Hitler. That's for you all to think about for yourselves.

By Ian Symes
January 30, 2007 @ 4:51 pm

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Isn't there some rule about whoever mentions Hitler or Nazis in the debate first loses by default? :-)

A show that's overly mean for comic effect while actually in love with the medium. It's surely the radio equivalent of The Young Ones!

I'm not keen on the 'he's playing a character' argument (is mock-ego any less ego if it's acted upon?), though there's a point to be made for it, and I don't always care for his attitude. But there's a real joy to the shows, it comes across, the laughs are often huge and the entertainment value is constant. The biggest problem I have with it is the Radio 1 playlist. Which ain't down to the DJ.

It's only a taste thing, though. Nobody's wrong. Except, possibly, anyone who thinks this taste is linked to age or IQ...

By Andrew
January 30, 2007 @ 6:45 pm

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I think being a radio nerd is very important if you're actually doing radio. Hitler's job hasn't got anyhting to do with ITV idents, so that's completely irrelevant.

I think Moyles occasionally goes over the line in his attitude - but it's extremely rare. He's usually just taking the piss, and people take him too seriously. As I say - I can identify with that.

But I think I *will* analyse the first hour of his show or something, because hopefully that'll get across why I love him.

By John Hoare
January 30, 2007 @ 8:09 pm

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it is true, he is a twat. has a serious isue underlying revolving his weight obviously. this makes him hate people and desperately want to appear famous and hanging out with other famous people (who arent just on radio)

his show is mind dumbingly repetitive and isnt that nice irreverant sideways look at everyday life that your decent comedian will tackle (check carl donnelly for a class example) we get the whole interupt and take the piss out of the news and weather people, yup very funny, oh and the interupt the songs you play, oh wow every more funny but come on try moving on to something else

local radio stations are god awful as a rule and until i get digital radio im stuck with it., come on radio 1 get someone better on and play more and better music (i.e. stop playing all that crappy r n b rubbish

By gary
June 05, 2007 @ 10:44 pm

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Well, I've given up defending the guy on here. Every time I defend Moyles on here, it's always me having the final word - people don't come back and actually tackle what I've written. Then, somebody else comes in months later, and the argument starts all over again.

At some point, I'll get round to writing a proper review of his show. Until then, I've lost interest in the argument, because people don't want to argue it properly.

By John Hoare
June 05, 2007 @ 10:55 pm

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> we get the whole interupt and take the piss out of the news and weather people, yup very funny

I love the way people use this tone while describing the mechanics of something as if to prove it's definitely NOT funny. Like you couldn't apply the same system to anything:

"We get the whole 'Thinking something inappropriate while talking to a woman' thing, yup, Peep Show, very funny."

"We get the whole 'Hiding the body from the other guests' thing. Fawlty Towers you know cock all about comedy."

"We get the whole 'Dumb British band getting lost on the way to the stage' thing. Oh Spinal Tap, my aching sides."

Oh, well that proves it, then.

By Andrew
June 07, 2007 @ 2:04 pm

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An ancient PopBitch mailout were at great pains to point out that Moyles is part owner of a company that produce jingles for radio. Furthermore it pointed out that his Radio One breakfast show was one of his company's biggest customers. It then added that in one hour Moyles gave more airtime to jingles than it did to actual music.

By ade
June 13, 2007 @ 9:10 am

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Sounds like a savvy business move to me! I've always got time for a lover of jingles, and his are the best around at the moment.

By Tanya Jones
June 13, 2007 @ 11:32 am

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http://admin.ofla.info/moyles.mp3

I absoutely *adore* the "National Radio One" tagline (or "International Radio One" as it is now) - the exact same tagline that used to be used in Radio 1's old jingles, where they had jingles that seemed *proud* of the station. And Moyles' jingles are the only ones to evoke that feeling now - a love for radio, and a love for Radio One in particular.

More lovely Moyles stuff here:

http://www.music4.com/musicservices/catalogue/408/bbc-radio-1/chris-moyles-update.html

Not every single one is fantastic, but there's loads of great stuff there. The Morning Moyles cuts are superb in his new package - although I tend to prefer the main jingles from his older ones (also on the Music 4 site).

By John Hoare
June 13, 2007 @ 2:10 pm

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> An ancient PopBitch mailout were at great pains to point out that Moyles is part owner of a company that produce jingles for radio. Furthermore it pointed out that his Radio One breakfast show was one of his company's biggest customers.

That's crackers. What's the issue they're actually calling attention to?

How is it any different from George Lucas making the original Star Wars trilogy with Industrial Light and Magic - creating the best FX company possible for his FX-based movie? Does his status of company director as well as movie producer make make using ILM a wrong or immoral decision?

Put another way: does The Empire Strikes Back have x number of FX shots because it makes money for George, or bcause the film needed them anyway and ILM were the best?

> It then added that in one hour Moyles gave more airtime to jingles than it did to actual music.

That's nonsense. Even if he played 12 jingles an hour - one every five minutes - that's still only six or eight minutes of material. Two or three songs played amounts to the same airtime.

That he plays MORE jingles - numerically - than songs doesn't surprise me. His show's talk radio as much as anything. And, given the playlist, thank fuck for that.

By Andrew
June 14, 2007 @ 12:39 pm

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The thing is, the only frame of reference I can give the quote is imagining how he would say it on his show - and that exonerates him. Because how he would say it is exactly how I sometimes say things - which is, to say things purely for their *inappropriateness*, because I find it funny. Not because I believe what I'm saying for a moment - and I hope everyone else knows I don't mean those things too.

John Hoare I think you're a cunt, sorry that was just my inappropriate sense of humour.

By jamie
March 15, 2008 @ 12:42 pm

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I still stand by what I said, although you generally have to be funnier than you've managed there.

But if you read a bit further down the comments, you'll see that Moyles was actually being sarcastic, which is a bit more concrete than my slightly woolly ramblings because I hadn't heard the broadcast in question. You would have been better picking me up on that, to be honest...

By John Hoare
March 15, 2008 @ 2:31 pm

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Early June '08, so over two years since the orginal article was written. Moyles is still a cunt, or a least that's the persona he's broadcasting in all directions like a demented muckspreader. And an over-full one at that.

By Chris
June 02, 2008 @ 7:59 pm

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Well, that's me and John told.

By Tanya Jones
June 02, 2008 @ 11:14 pm

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If you listen to Radio 1 you know what you’re getting:
1) vacuous, pointless, celebrity soaked “news” – it’s not even dumbed-down; it’s beneath retarded
2) smug, self-obsessed, talentless cunts (in the old days they were known as DJs)
3)tragically unfunny sycophants to massage the smug cunts’ egos – the worst being ‘comedy’ dave. I’ve heard funnier obituaries
4) Wall to wall shit music. The Radio 1 playlist is nothing more than re-hashed bollocks. Nothing original, inspiring or worth having ears for
In short, Radio 1 has disappeared up its own arse. I hope it suffocates and dies.

By Reggie
October 17, 2008 @ 2:46 pm

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Reggie, you’ve added nothing!

In fact, I’m wholly sick of this entire thread.

Jonathan Capps's picture

By Jonathan Capps
October 18, 2008 @ 2:52 am

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If you listen to Radio 1 you know what you’re getting:

Just to be clear, here - the following is really only related to The Chris Moyles Show - which is what the article is about anyway - not Radio 1 as a whole. I do listen to and enjoy other aspects of Radio 1, but I don’t feel I’ve listened to enough of it to judge the station as a whole.

1) vacuous, pointless, celebrity soaked “news” – it’s not even dumbed-down; it’s beneath retarded

Let’s have a look at the 7am Newsbeat bulletins from the past three days - just the news sections, ignoring the sport:

Friday:

  • Northern Rock complaints
  • Sir David Richards is new head of Army
  • Herbal powder Akuz issues
  • Gun law sentencing
  • Credit card website shutdown

Monday:

  • UK Recession
  • Petrol Prices
  • Drunk Pilot Arrested
  • Colin Powell Obama Support
  • Little Big Planet recall
  • Disabled Badges law
  • Strictly Come Dancing result

Tuesday:

  • M6 Motorway Crash
  • Gas and electricity prices
  • Britney Spears court case
  • Teachers Strike
  • Paris FUCKING Hilton and Prince BASTARD William

I think, in the main, those are good, solid running orders. I’d disagree with the Spears stuff being third today - I’d have put it fifth, if anywhere - and the Hilton stuff just doesn’t deserve to be anywhere remotely near the bulletin. Still, the other stories are fine - and I think Friday and Monday’s bulletins are spot on. And I’m the kind of idiot who sits there with the BBC News Channel on in the background!

2) smug, self-obsessed, talentless cunts (in the old days they were known as DJs

“Smug” and “self-obsessed” - well, it depends how you take things. I certainly hear a lot of stuff about Chris (amongst the many other things he talks about)… but, y’know, I like him. I’m interested. And I think he’s really funny. I like hearing funny people talk about what’s happening to them, and what they think. He’s got some really fucking great stuff about audience figures dropping recently, for instance. It’s the very definition of personality radio - and I like personality radio, if I like the personality.

And of course, sometimes he’s outright smug for the sake of being funny. Hey, I do that! Lots of people do it! It can get annoying if it’s pretty much all someone does - hello Ricky Gervais - but he doesn’t over-do it, I think. Hell, Moyles lets genuine emotion out on air… and it’s nearly always clear which is which.

As for “talentless cunt”… sorry, don’t hear it. I think he’s incredibly talented. From the opening song onwards - which on one level is just a silly song, but on another restores a bit of much-needed pride in broadcasting - all I hear is hilarious, inventive, radio. Which brings us back to me needing to review his show, of course.

He’s not perfect, obviously. He sometimes says things I don’t like. He occasionally crosses the line. But I don’t think he does it nearly as much as people think he does - and none of it ruins a great show. And hey, I can’t think of a single person I like on radio or telly who doesn’t make me roll my eyes at times. Doesn’t stop me loving them. (Bruce Forsyth banging on about political correctness springs instantly to mind…)

3)tragically unfunny sycophants to massage the smug cunts’ egos – the worst being ‘comedy’ dave. I’ve heard funnier obituaries

A common complaint of Zoo shows in general - but I don’t hear sycophancy at all on the show. I hear respect for Moyles, and I hear a group of people who clearly get along great together - and hell, I also hear them disagreeing with him on stuff! But most of all, what comes across to me is a bunch of people enjoying the fuck out of each other’s company, and being amusing and interesting at the same time. I love that kind of show. In a broadcasting landscape where there is so much cynicism, listening to a bunch of people being silly makes my day.

As for Comedy Dave - he’s actually my least favourite aspect of the show. He’s made me laugh, certainly, and he’s somebody else for Moyles to bounce off, which is vital - but no, he’s not the funniest. However, I do get the idea that he does a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff on the show, and his value is far more than what you immediately hear him say on-air.

4) Wall to wall shit music. The Radio 1 playlist is nothing more than re-hashed bollocks. Nothing original, inspiring or worth having ears for

General complaints about the Radio 1 playlist I don’t really feel I’m qualified to talk about.

But on the specific point of Chris Moyles: I certainly don’t listen to Chris Moyles for the music. But then, I don’t really think he does the show for the music either (he’s got told off before for not playing enough). This is talk radio, with the bare minimum of music Radio 1 requires chucked in there. I certainly don’t think Radio 1’s playlist ruins the show in any way - I like some of it anyway, but more importantly it’s the talk stuff that makes the show.

(Having said all that, The Golden Hour on Fridays - which Moyles reinstated, and chooses the music for - is absolutely fucking glorious. I do listen to the show partly for that music!)

In short, Radio 1 has disappeared up its own arse. I hope it suffocates and dies.

I don’t. Chris Moyles has given me so much pleasure over the past few years. It will be a truly sad day when he leaves the breakfast slot. He manages to tap into something that makes the show feel geared towards me - as a radio geek - and yet manages to make a mainstream show at the same time. I think that’s an incredible achievement. Who else manages to drop in obscure references about old radio slogans (“Your hot-rockin’, flame-throwin’ 1FM!”), and yet still manages to get 7 million listeners each morning? (Well, apart from Wogan. And he’s great too.)

But most of all - what comes across in his show is a sheer love of radio as a medium. Not music, no - but radio. Out of all the lousy, boring, tedious DJs on the air… Moyles is an odd target to rail against.

Chris Moyles isn’t a symbol that Radio 1 has gone up its own arse. He’s actually one of the few remnants of the old Radio 1 we have left.

John Hoare's picture

By John Hoare
October 21, 2008 @ 1:33 pm

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I worry about chris moyles.

I fear oneday he will be so full of his own importance,bigottries,opinions,arrogance that he will explode in a great cloud of shit showering the poor person next to him. He certainly looks fat enough.

What is this pathological hatred of gay people was he raped by a gay when he was young and he fears he may have enjoyed it and the only way to vent his frustration is to rant about it on the radio.

Sorry Chris your secrets out!

By Mat Shaw
October 29, 2008 @ 6:56 pm

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…and I’ve had it with this thread.

Bar some exceptions at the start of the thread, nobody wants to engage with the discussion properly. It’s ludicrous. The people defending Moyles are the ones doing the intelligent posts - most other people are just not engaging with the debate at all at best, and just throwing insults at worst. And - crucially - whenever somebody actually answers the negative comments, instead of getting involved with the discussion and arguing their case, they disappear, never to return again. And then someone different pops up, and it starts all over again.

It’s happened again and again and again on this thread - and the cynical might suggest it’s because they haven’t *got* a decent reply. There’s no point even trying to discuss the issue, because nobody is interested - they just want to have their rant, and that’s it. That’s not a proper debate, and I’m sick of it.

I’d love a decent debate about the merits or otherwise of Moyles - but nobody’s giving me one.

John Hoare's picture

By John Hoare
October 29, 2008 @ 8:06 pm

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Basically he is not funny - He is surrounded by unfunny sycophants. He doesn’t realise he isn’t funny and neither do they, yet they persist relentlessly in telling you how great they are - they do see themselves as comedians - and to the people who understand these things - as in human nature, which as a ‘radio fan’ who is turned on by the fact that he plays the pips, you may not - they honestly do believe their own hype. This is essentially why people despise him. You will find most people who are cocksure about how funny they are, when in fact they are not, will be despised by those people who can see them for what they are. Others who laugh with them - beyond me - may not understand this, no matter how much it is properly debated.

To qualify this, I love laughing and a wide variety of comedy and humour - Moyles doesn’t come close.

By Mook
January 25, 2009 @ 11:37 am

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Again, this is your dislike of him, rather than a proper argument on his merits. It’s never been said that people can’t dislike him, but it’s rather pointless to put it forward as an argument. I’ve listened to a lot of Chris Moyles’ work, and you hear just as much self-depreciating humour as you hear him saying how great he is; some of it is justifiable pride in his work, but some of it is simply ironic comment, like a lot of people engage in.

Also, the people around him are all professional and have had success in their own right, so I think it’s rather insulting to dismiss them as sycophants. I used to underestimate Dave rather a lot, but it’s become more and more clear what he brings to the show, so I have a feeling that most people who dislike the show and Moyles would actually change their minds if they listened for a while, because I used to be one of those people. It makes me sad when someone so talented is dismissed so out of hand, because there’s so MANY mediocre DJs out there, and they’re far more worthy of the sort of hate chucked at Moyles.

Tanya Jones's picture

By Tanya Jones
January 26, 2009 @ 10:43 am

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I love irony, I love irreverent, I love non pc but Chris Moyles is a talentless, achingly unfunny, bullying, racist, homophobic cunt. End of.

By Garlo
February 26, 2009 @ 11:09 pm

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I’m closing comments on this story, as I think there’s little point in keeping it open for the same thing to happen again and again and again.

Let it be put on the record that I tried to have a decent discussion.

John Hoare's picture

By John Hoare
February 27, 2009 @ 12:41 am

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